The Crisis of Islamic Masculinities

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Rigid notions of masculinity are causing crisis in the global Islamic community. These are articulated from the Quran, its commentary, historical precedents and societal, religious and familial obligations. Some Muslims who don't agree with narrow constructs of manliness feel forced to consider themselves secular and therefore outside the religious community. In order to evaluate whether there really is only one valid, ideal Islamic masculinity, The Crisis of Islamic Masculinities explores key figures of the Quran and Indian-Pakistani Islamic history, and exposes the precariousness of tight constraints on Islamic manhood. By examining Quranic arguments and the strict social responsibilities advocated along with narrow Islamic masculinities, Amanullah De Sondy shows that God and women (to whom Muslim men relate but are different from) often act as foils for the construction of masculinity. He argues the constrainers of masculinity have used God and women to think with and to dominate through and that rigid gender roles are the product of a misguided enterprise: the highly personal relationship between humans and God does not lend itself to the organization of society, because that relationship cannot be typified and replicated. Discussions and debates surrounding Islamic masculinities are quickly finding their place in the study of Islam and Muslims, and The Crisis of Islamic Masculinities makes a vital contribution to this emerging field.

Reviews

The Crisis of Islamic Masculinities shows how any notion of Muslim or Islamic masculinity is always constructed against a number of others women, the West and God This is an important work for those interested in gender relations in Muslim societies. I only wish that my students could read English because this work would help them to explore a broader range of gender constructions without the (fully justifiable) fear of being labelled un-Islamic. -- Julia Droebner, An-Najah National University * Times Higher Education *
De Sondy makes an original and rich contribution to the burgeoning literature on Islamic masculinities while engaging productively with Muslim feminist thought. -- Kecia Ali, Associate Professor of Religion, Boston University, USA.
The study of Muslim masculinities is in its infancy, and The Crisis of Islamic Masculinities easily succeeds in laying a secure foundation for this highly significant but neglected field - a major step forward. -- Ahmet T. Karamustafa, Professor of History, University of Maryland, USA.
This book opens the way to rethinking what it means to be a man in the Islamic tradition, showing the intricate ways in which constructions of femininity and masculinity are intertwined. It is a must-read for those wishing to understand the Islamists' obsession with sexuality, their rejection of gender equality, and their invocation of religious dogma as the basis for gender rights. -- Ziba Mir-Hosseini, Centre for Islamic and Middle Eastern Law, SOAS, UK.
This book might be of interest to scholars working on various areas including but not limited to gender, Islam, and feminism. In summary, it is a useful book for the library. -- Nazli Alimen, London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London * Gender, Place & Culture: A Journal of Feminist Geography *

Author Bio

Amanullah De Sondy is Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Miami, Florida, USA.